There are too Many Places for a Soul to Hide
by theunknownvoice
Summary: 10 years have passed but the ghosts of Max's past haven't disappeared.  He's been sent to find her and she can't fight him.  She owes him: a life for a life. Rated M for later chapters.


There are too Many Places for the Soul to Hide

Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel.

A/N: This is just a Little Something. For everyone who follows my other stuff, I'm going to be posted updates. It's going to be really difficult so just be patient with me. Thanks!

Life has an incessant, inconsistent need to change. There was no freedom in the transgenics struggle. For ten years, they had merely managed to hang onto the faint grasping of freedom they could gain. There was no solution and when chemical bombings came to Terminal City, Max watched her world crumble. They fled from TC and into the unknown territories. A few selected computer link-ups a month let Max know the status of various "colonies." It was all she had now to connect her to who she had been.

"Terry."

She could hear Logan moving through the house. The humming of the device as he sat in what was more like a power chair. Nothing was working quite with his body anymore. With all the transgenic blood and botched surgeries, Logan dealt with pain everyday.

They weren't married. In ten years, Max hadn't felt the need to rehash the never ending Logan and Max relationship. OC had finally convinced that with that many problems the couple was simply doomed. Not that Max spoke to OC much anymore. She didn't work at Jam Pony either. She just lived with Logan in Seattle going by the name Terry Doyle.

"What is it?"

She had bite back the need to bitchslap him. Logan with his constant paranoia never called her Max. He never even so much has looked at her except for Eyes Only missions. They had moved into a high-tech elite penthouse on the opposite side of Seattle. Logan had security and Max, oh excuse me _Terry_, now had her own rooms. It was strictly a business relationship especially after the almost-marriage two years ago.

"We ran out of milk. Could you…"

Max rolled her eyes as she grabbed a few bucks out off his desk. Of course, the arrangement meant that she had to take care of Logan from time to time. He wouldn't pay for a housekeeper or live-in-nurse. Instead he did as much as he could and Max did the rest. It wasn't a bad situation. It just was a situation.

It was going along the way to dive they used as a grocery store that she passed O'Malley's. O'Malley's was a recent diner to the city. It was nice though. A bit on the divish side but nice considering the economy and life after the pulse, it was nice. It was then that her eyes locked almost unwillingly on one of the customers. Max had trained from a young age to pay extra attention to even the most insignificant detail.

Her eyes glaze over him and it doesn't even take her a minute to realize that he's not Alec. It's not just because she saw Alec two days ago at their meeting spot. No, there's a hyper-paranoia that clothes him. His eyes are always following the other people in the restaurant. He's a hunter. And unlike Alec who can hide it behind a charming facade, Ben can never be mistaken for being anything other than what he is: a predator.

She knows it's him. Even though in ten years, his face which was boyish smooth now has whiskers. His hair is still short but the cut is different. Where it was once smoothed down it's now spiked. There are more lines in his face. But it isn't his appearance that throws her. It's more of the fact he's even alive at all.  
She feels the pressure from his cat-like golden-hazel eyes locking on her instantly. She doesn't even wait. She enters the diner her head held high like the alpha she is. She isn't going to back down. Not even from this ghost.

"Hi Maxie."

His voice is still deep. She can hear ever line, every length of language as he looks at her. He's changed but there in the depths of his eyes is fire. She's never seen fire in him before that isn't laced with madness. In this one moment he reminds her of Alec. Alec who has the spark in him that goes down to his core. Alec can inspire anyone to follow him with his eyes alone. Ben's fire isn't the same. It's dangerous and primal and it's then that she notices the gun.

The cold professional look in his face has faded slightly with familiarity. She wants to ask the questions: What are you doing here? How did you survive? What happened after I left you for dead?  
She can still remember the feel of his neck in her hands. She could remember the sick snapping sound and the continual guilt that she's lived with for ten years.  
"I really was hoping it wasn't you," he says.  
She preps herself but what he says next shatters the illusion. "It's really too bad."  
"What's too bad?" she asks holding back tears. Tears of grief or relief, she doesn't yet know.  
"That Manticore finally tracked you down."  
The realization sinks in and once again the guilt consumes her.

He moves quicker than she can remember pulling her close and pushing the gun into her stomach. Maybe she's grown old, twenty-nine isn't the same as nineteen. Maybe it's just shock. But her soul knows that she doesn't move because it's him and she owes him.

"I didn't want them to take you back. I thought…"

He puts a finger to her lips. "Shh…walk outside like a good little girl and we'll have this talk in the alley."

If it was anyone else, she'd fight. Anyone else would be bloody and dead in the middle of the restaurant. This is Ben and Lydecker knows that she will never hurt Ben.

He releases her quickly but the gun is still trained onto her. He's not taking chances with her. Not like the last time.

"I never meant for them to get you," she says. She's crying now, openly weeping in front of him.

"I know."

Two simple words and her eyes meet his. He's still aiming but he's body isn't screaming anger.

"I—"

He doesn't want her apology. It's not worth the price that they both have paid and he's not stupid enough to think that he's the only one who lost something that day.

"I can't pretend I didn't see you," he says. "I can only give you the same option you gave me. I can kill you, Maxie. That's the only way they are not going to get you."

She know the guilt of another's blood on her hands. She knows what its like to coldly kill someone you love. She stares at his hands that white from gripping the gun.

"Bring me in."

Ben nods and then tazers her.

To be continued….

A/N: Alright so this is my new Ben/Max. I'm planning on writing more. It was only supposed to be a oneshot but there will be more. Also I plan on more updates of other stuff so don't freak out.


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